New Canada Citizenship Rules

A new law will come into effect on April 17, 2009, amending the Citizenship Act.

The new law will give Canadian citizenship to certain individuals who lost it and to others who will be recognized as citizens for the first time.

Citizenship will be automatic and retroactive to the date of loss or date of birth, depending on the situation.

People will not have to apply for citizenship, but may need to apply for a citizenship certificate to prove their citizenship.

Individuals who are Canadian citizens at the time the law comes into effect will keep their citizenship.

Until the new law comes into effect, the current law will apply.

This means that people who will become citizens under the new law are not citizens yet. Once the new law comes into effect, these people may apply for proof of citizenship.

As well, foreign-born persons adopted by a Canadian citizen between January 1, 1947, and February 14, 1977, must wait to apply for citizenship until the new law comes into effect.

This also means that people who will become citizens under the new law but wish to move to Canada before it comes into effect must contact Citizenship and Immigration Canada to find out what steps they must take to come to Canada using current immigration processes.

Also, people born outside Canada who are subject to the retention rules and who will turn 28 before the law comes into effect must still take action to retain citizenship.

For additional information go to:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizenship/rules-citizenship.asp